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Current books

  • Carlos Ruiz Zafon: The Shadow of the Wind

    Carlos Ruiz Zafon: The Shadow of the Wind
    The discovery of a forgotten book leads to a hunt for an elusive author who may or may not still be alive...This book was a real page-turner. I couldn't put it down.

  • Amitav Ghosh: The Hungry Tide

    Amitav Ghosh: The Hungry Tide
    The Hungry Tide is a rich, exotic saga set in Calcutta and in the vast archipelago of islands in the Bay of Bengal. Beautifully written and believable, well-rounded characters.


  • Michela Wrong: In the Footsteps of Mr Kurtz

    Michela Wrong: In the Footsteps of Mr Kurtz
    Wonderfully written and an interesting portayal of the Congo and its extraordinary dictator Mobutu. The sheer level of corruption that took place under Mobutu means that in some ways this book reads as fiction rather than fact.

  • Jane Fletcher Geniesse: Passionate Nomad
    A fascinating book about the life of Freya Stark. I really didn't know very much about her - what an amazing woman.
  • Khaled Hosseini: The Kite Runner
    This is an extraordinary novel about moral courage and cowardice, human flaws and forgiveness set against the backdrop of Afghanistan. It gives a fantastic insight into Afghani culture and about how societies cope when they are uprooted and have to start again.
  • Ian Rankin: Fleshmarket Close
    You can't beat Rankin or Rebus for memories of Edinburgh.
  • William Shakespeare: A Midsummer Night's Dream

    William Shakespeare: A Midsummer Night's Dream
    We're in it....

  • Ryszard Kapuscinski: The Emperor

    Ryszard Kapuscinski: The Emperor
    Personal insights into Haile Selassie's reign from all the people closest to him...from his pillow-bearers to his spies.

« January 2005 | Main | March 2005 »

Election help please

Marley mania has now passed and my feet still aren't touching the ground journalistically.
I'm now onto the elections though..by Friday (Feb 11th) I've got to write a piece for Focus on Africa.
I'm looking for any Ethiopians - in or outside the country - who want to say something about the elections. I'm interested in people's opinions about how much Ethiopia has changed since 1991, the move towards democracy, the state of the opposition parties and key election issues. You don't have to be quoted if you don't want to - I'm just looking for an idea of what Ethiopians think. You can email me at amber@amberhenshaw.com Any help much appreciated

Wednesday, February 09, 2005 | | Comments (0)

Herbal healing?

I’ve been wondering about what malaria pills to take. Someone recently gave me some homeopathic ones. Has anyone out there tried them? Any thoughts as to whether they are any good?

Sunday, February 06, 2005 | | Comments (0)

Get Up Stand Up!

marley_launch8The opening ceremony for the Bob Marley celebrations was held in the City Hall on Tuesday night. It was actually quite amazing - the head of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church rubbed shoulders with Rita and the rest of the Marley family including Bob's mother Cedella Marley Brooker. This was her first public appearance. She said she'd been ill and arrived in a wheelchair but managed to walk on to the stage to sing a song. (If anyone's interested in hearing it I can put a bit online). She was greeted with rapturous applause and a standing ovation. The great and the good of Addis was out in force to hear the music and speeches...Rita Marley was made an honorary citizen of the city and people danced in the aisles as the Drums of Rastafari played Get UP Stand Up. You can get a little taster by clicking on this link. Download marley_drummersmusic.mp3

Friday, February 04, 2005 | | Comments (0)